A man who police say started a fire and threw a knife at a Louisville Metro Police officer was shot to death by a second officer, according to Chief Steve Conrad, but body camera footage released by police does not clearly show what led to the decision.

"We can't see what the officer saw when the decision was made to use deadly force," Conrad said of the footage of Jackson's shooting. "So it is critically important that we conduct a thorough and complete investigation to fully understand what happened last night and why."

Louisville has seen a spate of police shootings in recent weeks, including one by LMPD officers on Tuesday and another in Jefferson County on Sunday, by officers from the West Buechel and Hurstbourne Acres police departments. There have been three other shootings by on-duty Louisville Metro Police officers this year.

Conrad has called that number of shootings involving officers "more than normal," and Thursday he acknowledged the concern it causes. The department has averaged just over five such incidents per year since 2012, according to its data.

"I also know that having so many incidents in a relatively short amount of time is concerning. It creates anxiety, it creates stress for our community and for our officers," he said. "Beyond this use of force, we question what has brought us to this point. Across the nation, I believe there is a systematic problem that needs to be addressed, and I think it's a challenge for us all."

On Wednesday, Second Division officers were responding to reports of a suspect breaking out windows of a home in the 400 block of North 42nd Street, in the Shawnee neighborhood, said Maj. Frank Hardison, commander of the special investigations division. Family members also called the police on the man, who was later identified as Jackson.

Body camera footage from two officers — Brendan Kaiser and Degerald Watson-Morton — shows them approach a house, when a man runs toward them saying someone is trying to "burn down our house."

When Watson-Morton nears the front door, an object appears to be thrown toward the front of the house. Watson-Morton enters the home and is struck by a second object, which police said was a knife that hit him in the leg.

When the second officer, Kaiser, then approaches the front door, he has his gun drawn and calls out three times for Jackson to show his hands. Kaiser then appears to flinch and fires about nine shots into the home.

Jackson is not visible in the body camera footage, and it's not clear what Kaiser saw.

Kaiser then enters the home with at least one other officer, where both continue calling for Jackson to show his hands. He's still not visible in the footage, but a fire in a bedroom is noticed and firefighters are called.

"I need somebody here quick, I can't keep my eyes on this guy and control the fire. It's in the bedroom right next to me," Kaiser said. "... This fire is starting to get out of control."

Kaiser approaches Jackson, who is lying on the kitchen floor, about two and a half minutes after firing shots at him.

"He's got a knife right next to him," he told another officer. Conrad said "a number of knives" were found throughout the house.

“... It is critically important that we conduct a thorough and complete investigation to fully understand what happened last night and why.”

Steve Conrad

When Jackson is cleared of any weapons, officers begin to render aid, about three minutes after the first shots were fired.

Watson-Morton was taken to University of Louisville Hospital on Wednesday night and has been released, police said Thursday.

Conrad said Thursday that understanding why Kaiser fired his weapon is "at the crux of why we need to do an investigation."

"As you saw from watching the video, we just can't tell what he saw," he said. "He will be interviewed as part of the investigation and we'll have an understanding — to know what he saw off to the left, out of the field of view."

Kaiser, who has been with the department since October 2016, has eight commendations in his personnel file and no disciplinary action.

Responding to potential concerns about police de-escalation strategies, Conrad said it's part of officers' annual training.

Additionally, the department is working toward implementing a new training developed by the Police Executive Research Forum called Integrating Communications, Assessment and Tactics.

Louisville police will begin implementing that training, which focuses on people armed with edged weapons, this year, Conrad said.

"... De-escalation is an important part of what we've been trying to train," Conrad said. "The whole idea of creating more time, more distance and cover for officers can reduce the need for us to use deadly force. ... We really are trying to stress the importance of slowing things down and doing what we can to avoid that use of force."